Top 20 SNL Impressions the Real Person HATED

Performed by: Mick Jagger

While hosting the Season 37 finale, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger got the chance to step into the shoes of another rock icon. In the parody sketch “So You Think You Can Dance At An Outdoor Music Festival,” Jagger played Steven Tyler, complete with a long curly wig, snake print jacket and red scarf. He certainly looked the part, but his performance struck the wrong chord with the real-life Tyler. Unlike other celebs who dislike their “SNL” impersonations for being too harsh, Tyler’s gripe was the exact opposite: he felt Jagger didn’t go far enough. The Aerosmith frontman claimed the portrayal missed the mark entirely and criticized Jagger for not even attempting his signature howl.

Performed by: Kenan Thompson

If you’re going to impersonate one of the world’s most renowned scientists, accuracy and precision are the least you can aim for. According to Neil deGrasse Tyson however, Kenan Thompson’s impression of him in this “Fox and Friends” sketch fell short of that standard. When asked about Thompson’s portrayal, Tyson admitted that he was underwhelmed by it, particularly because “SNL” has nailed far more accurate impersonations of other people. Still, his reaction wasn’t all negative. Tyson was charmed by the fact that they got his planetary neckties right. Plus, he took his impersonation on “SNL” as a sign that science is becoming mainstream, which is a development he wholeheartedly welcomes.

Performed by: Tracy Morgan

The relationship between Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston was a tabloid magnet, drawing intense media scrutiny and ridicule, particularly surrounding their alleged drug use. So naturally, “SNL” jumped on the bandwagon, with Tracy Morgan and Maya Rudolph impersonating the troubled duo on a “Weekend Update” segment. While the portrayal left the audience in stitches, Brown wasn’t the least bit amused, and he has harbored resentment ever since. Speaking to the Atlanta Black Star in 2022, Brown called the sketch “hateful,” saying that although he doesn’t regret his past, being mocked in that way deeply offended him. Nevertheless, he has since learned not to take such things personally, and now tries to “accept the good with the bad.”

Performed by: Jon Rudnitsky

During the 2016 race to the White House, “SNL” tried to get Anderson Cooper to play himself in a political sketch. When he couldn’t make it, they settled for the next best thing: a cast member doing their best impression of him. Newcomer Jon Rudnitsky got the chance to prove himself by playing the journalist in the sketch, but his performance didn’t exactly dazzle the real-life Cooper. While on “Watch What Happens Live!,” Cooper admitted to feeling unhappy with the impression, not because he was thin-skinned, but because Rudnitsky leaned too heavily into his sexuality and skipped over the rest of his personality. This left him with a newfound appreciation for Seth Meyers’ impersonation of him from earlier seasons.

Performed by: Kate McKinnon

For many, getting impersonated by the great Kate McKinnon on “Saturday Night Live” would be a badge of honor. But for Kellyanne Conway, not so much. Not only was the former White House Senior Counselor unimpressed with her portrayal, she also offered McKinnon some unsolicited acting tips. Conway believed that McKinnon played her as a little too sour and malicious, so she suggested adding a splash of joy, as she considers herself to be a “much more happy” person. But while she didn’t find her depiction flattering, the fact that she was being impersonated on “SNL” at all following the 2016 election convinced Conway that she was the future of American politics. Oh, bless her heart.

Performed by: Scarlett Johansson

If you want to know how Ivanka Trump really felt about her impersonation on “SNL,” it depends on who you trust more: Trump herself, or her father’s former political aide, Omarosa Manigault Newman. For those willing to believe Trump, her reaction was more of a shrug. When asked about Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of her as complicit in her father’s actions, Trump appeared seemingly unbothered by it. However, according to Newman’s 2018 tell-all book, the sketch made the First Daughter livid, and she wouldn’t stop ranting about how ridiculous and disrespectful it was. So who’s telling the truth? Hard to say. But given the Trump family’s well-documented aversion to criticism, it seems we’re Team Omarosa on this one.

Performed by: Mike Myers

If you thought the last you’d seen of Elon Musk on “SNL” was during the goodnights of his 2021 hosting gig, think again. Given his prominent role in the second Trump administration, Musk, or at least Mike Myers’ version of him, has become a regular fixture on the show. Fans loved Myers’ take, but the real-life tech billionaire had very different feelings about it. Musk reacted to a clip of the sketch on X, saying “Humor fails when it lies.” He later doubled down, labeling “SNL” with his go-to insult for anything he doesn’t like: “far-left propaganda.” Thankfully, the show doesn’t fall under the control of DOGE, otherwise, half of the staff would probably be out of a job by now.

Performed by: Andy Samberg

In this Season 34 sketch, Andy Samberg nails a surprisingly accurate impression of Mark Wahlberg talking to various animals in his distinctive Boston accent. The impression was solid, the laughs were plenty, and there were few, if any, deprecating shots in the entire routine. Nevertheless, Wahlberg still found a way to be offended by it. The actor slammed the sketch as unfunny, and even threatened to settle a score with Samberg the old-fashioned way. He nearly made good on that promise when he appeared on “SNL” the following week to confront Samberg. Thankfully, things ended on a lighter note, with the two patching things up. That said, if you’re thinking of doing your own Wahlberg impersonation, we’d advise against it.

Performed by: Sarah Sherman

The third season of HBO’s “The White Lotus” stirred up plenty of buzz on social media, so it was only a matter of time before we got an “SNL” parody. In “The White POTUS,” the show drops Donald Trump, his family and cabinet members in Thailand, where he secretly panics over the economic meltdown caused by his tariff policy. While most of the sketch was well-received, many took issue with Sarah Sherman’s portrayal of Aimee Lou Wood’s character Chelsea, for which she wore exaggerated prosthetic teeth. The loudest critic was Wood herself, who labeled the impression “mean and unfunny” on her Instagram story. She later clarified that while she’s all for being roasted, she expected something “cleverer, more nuanced [and] less cheap.”

Performed by: Alec Baldwin

Even before he became president, Donald Trump was a prominent figure in pop culture, so there have been numerous portrayals of him on “SNL.” But few hit the mark, and the nerve, quite like Alec Baldwin’s. Baldwin began impersonating Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign and continued throughout his first term, even winning an Emmy Award for his performance. All that praise seemed to anger Trump, who repeatedly trashed the impression online, saying it “stinks” and “just can’t get any worse.” His frustration reportedly went so far that he tried to get the FCC and Justice Department to force “SNL” to shelf Baldwin’s portrayal of him. Although Trump denied making such efforts, he still described the impression as “an illegal campaign contribution” by the Democrats.

Performed by: Gilda Radner


Getting impersonated on “Saturday Night Live” can either feel like a compliment, or a slap in the face, depending on who you ask. For legendary broadcast journalist Barbara Walters, it was more of the latter. From the show’s very first season, Walters was parodied by cast member Gilda Radner, who exaggerated her speaking style and dubbed the character “Bawa Wawa.” The sketch was a hit with audiences, but not so much with Walters herself. She initially detested the exaggerated speech impediment and worried that the caricature might stick. But one night, she stumbled upon her young daughter watching the show, who casually told her to “lighten up” about the portrayal. That small nudge completely changed Walter’s perspective.

Performed by: Bowen Yang


No one is safe from an “SNL” impression. Not even if you’re someone like Fran Lebowitz, who acts like technology is out to get her. In 2021, the author and public speaker was played by Bowen Yang in a “Weekend Update” bit that spoofed her Netflix docuseries “Pretend It's a City” with Martin Scorsese. At first, Lebowitz claimed she hadn’t watched the episode. But she later admitted her distaste for the portrayal, saying that only people who have never been parodied would enjoy such a caricature. Ironically, her disapproval of this impression was well-received by Yang, who considered it the highest praise he could’ve gotten from her.

Performed by: Molly Shannon


Even the most spot-on “SNL” impressions can sometimes still hit a nerve, especially if you’re the one being impersonated. That seemed to have been the case for Ann Miller. The late actress and dancer was played by Molly Shannon in a recurring sketch titled “Leg Up,” alongside Cheri Oteri as Debbie Reynolds. While the bit quickly became a fan favorite, Miller wasn’t exactly thrilled about it. According to Shannon, her main issue was the character’s habit of sliding into dirty jokes and celebrity gossip, which didn’t sit well with her. Still, it did put her back on the radar for younger audiences, so that at least counts for something.

Performed by: Aidy Bryant


Not everyone walks away from an “SNL”impression unscathed. Just ask Meghan McCain. The daughter of the late Arizona senator John McCain, she found herself portrayed by Aidy Bryant, who dubbed her the “Princess of Arizona.” Bryant’s impression poked fun at McCain’s tenure on the panel of “The View,” depicting her as a bit of a spoiled brat. Although she initially expressed her love for the impression, calling it “a huge pop cultural honor,” McCain ultimately admitted that it took a toll on her and made her feel like “the laughing stock of the country.” To add insult to injury, she felt that the show was more lenient with her fellow panelists than with her.

Performed by: Melissa McCarthy


Over the years, “SNL” has seen countless political impersonations, but few have left as lasting an impression as Melissa McCarthy’s take on Sean Spicer. McCarthy sunk her teeth into the role, playing up Spicer’s fiery exchanges with reporters, and she even snagged an Emmy for her performance. While Spicer himself found some humor in the impression, he thought it went a little too far. Speaking on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” he admitted that watching it was traumatizing enough to send him to therapy. He’d previously also noted that the gum-chewing was a tad excessive and could have been toned down. You’re entitled to your opinion, Mr. Spicer, but we have to disagree with it.

Performed by: Tina Fey


The real Sarah Palin may have briefly shared the stage with Tina Fey on “Saturday Night Live,” but don’t mistake that for a stamp of approval. In reality, Palin wasn’t exactly a fan of the now iconic impression. And honestly, who can blame her? While Fey’s portrayal was undeniably hilarious and created some of the most legendary “SNL” moments, it was a pretty unflattering depiction of the then Governor of Alaska and Vice Presidential candidate. In fact, according to Palin, her appearance on the show was an attempt to counter the not-so-rosy picture Fey’s impression had left in the public’s mind. She even suggested that Fey ought to pay her for profiting off the impersonation.

Performed by: Chloe Fineman


While some politicians are able to take their “SNL” impersonations in stride, some others seem to take it quite personally. Case in point: U.S. congresswoman Lauren Boebert. Boebert was the butt of the joke in this cold open sketch featuring an impression by Chloe Fineman, alongside Cecily Strong as Marjorie Taylor Greene. The sketch lampooned the congresswomen’s love of guns and tendency to spread COVID-19 misinformation. Boebert was apparently triggered by Fineman’s performance, as she took to social media to label her a “no-name actress” with “poor trigger discipline.” In response, Fineman shared Boebert’s post to her Instagram, where she referred to the congresswoman as an “actual clown.”

Performed by: Chloe Fineman


It appears there’s something about a Chloe Fineman impression that gets the real people riled up everytime. Netflix’s “Tiger King” became a pop culture sensation during the COVID-19 lockdown, so it inevitably got the “SNL” treatment. In the first “at-home” episode, Fineman debuted her impression of Baskin on air after workshopping it on social media. It was a genuinely hilarious bit, with Baskin spouting her signature phrase and addressing the rumors about her missing husband. But the real Baskin was not laughing. The animal rights activist is quoted as saying that she “could just slap” Fineman for the performance. Nevertheless, it seemed to have resonated with audiences, as fans began asking Baskin to sing in her virtual Cameos afterwards.

Performed by: Kristen Wiig


For most people, having the legendary Kristen Wiig impersonate them on “SNL” would be a career highlight, but former “Today” show host Kathie Lee Gifford isn’t most people. Gifford didn’t seem to be amused back in 2009 when Wiig portrayed her as a boozy diva making sex jokes about her husband and constantly breaking into song. While you may have been laughing at home, Gifford was fuming. The impression left her so annoyed that she hit Wiig with the ultimate insult for a comedian: unfunny. If Kathie Lee Gifford had her way, Wiig’s impressions might have been shut down for good. But thankfully, the world isn’t run by her, so we got several more.

Performed by: Fred Armisen


As the first legally blind U.S. governor, David Paterson actually handled jokes about his disability quite well. However, when he was spoofed on “Saturday Night Live,” Paterson believed they crossed a line. In the “Weekend Update” segment, Fred Armisen’s portrayal of Paterson leaned heavily on crude stereotypes, making him appear disoriented and clownish. Paterson’s communications director quickly responded, calling out the show for mocking people with physical disabilities. The governor also urged them to try being funny without crossing into offensive territory. Yikes. Eventually though, Paterson seemed to have warmed up to the portrayal, as he appeared alongside Armisen in a later “Weekend Update” segment to poke a little fun at himself.


Should there be a line when it comes to celebrity impressions on satirical shows? Do you think any of these impressions crossed that line? Let us know in the comments below.


[a]NOTE TO VO ARTIST: Pls voice only the blue text (including the line after #1)!